Display and like devices



w. e. HORTON DISPLAY AND LIKE DEVICES Filed June 22, 1954 HORTONSINDICATING SYSTEM.

LT T T T TQ DISPLAY AND LIKE DEVICES.

William Gray Horton, Northampton, England Application June 22, 1954,Serial No. 438,560.

Claims priority, application Great Britain June 25, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl.40-63) This invention relates to board, panel. and like display devicesand is concerned withv indicating means to be carried thereby and refersparticularly to such. indicating means having integral lugs or the likefor engaging in slots in the board, panel or the like (for examplehorizontally and/ or vertically arranged slots), by which they aresustained in position.

In general, in accordance with the invention, for the production of suchlugged indicating means, a sheet, strip or the like of paper, card orother thin sheet material adapted to have typewritten or other recordsmade on a surface thereof or to have punched holes therethrough, isprovided, which has shaped areas, which include the projecting lugs,bounded by scorings, interrupted scorings' or slots, spaced perforationsor any desired combination thereof, whereby indications may bewritten,typed, punched, impressed, printed (including printed colour designs) orotherwise made on the surface bounded by said areas whilst they remainin sheet or strip form,. prior to being removed from the sheet, strip orthe like by push-out pressure or tearing acting on the bounding weakenedoutline whereby such areas as removed portions can be used as indicatingmeans for locating on the said board, panel or the like.

If desired, each strip or the like of paper, card' or other thin sheetmaterial having a plurality of potential indicators in its structure,may have a series or other marking to indicate a machine or operatorsnumber or otherwise.

Obviously, the lug spacing or spacings of an indicator should be inaccordance with the spacing of the slots in any carrying board, panel orthe like: on which the indicator is to be disposed.

A sheet, strip or the like containing a plurality of potentialindicators can have scored thereon such indicators of any suitableshape, for example rectangular, circular, or otherwise, and be of suchsize in relation to the indicating panel or the like on which they areto belocated that they cover a unit area or any desired multiple of unitarea extending vertically or horizontally as may be required.

In all cases there are provided at least two lugs on different edges butpreferably in the case of rectangles on two parallel edges, or on thetwo which may be considered as opposite edges where the indicators areof circular or other shape than rectangular. In preferred cases andespecially when the indicators are of multiple unit area, there can betwo or more lugs on one edge and one or more lugs on the parallel edge.

In order that the invention may be better understood, it will now bedescribed with reference to the accompanying somewhat diagrammaticdrawings which are given by way of example only and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a strip of thick paper, light card or the likehaving a plurality of similar lugged rectangular potential indicators.

Fig. 2 is a similar view but inwhich the potential lugged tates Patent 6i 2,814,894 Patented Dec. 3, 1957 indicators are arranged in a differentmanner from those shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows to a larger scale an indicator removed from the strip suchas shown in Fig. l and having typed thereon an indication prior to itsremoval.

Fig. 4 shows a. similar view to Fig. 3' of an indicator removed from thestrip shown in Fig. 2; In this case no indication is shown on theindicator. but obviously it willhave any suitable indication typed,printed or otherwise thereon prior to its'removal from the main strip.

Fig. 5 shows a fragmentary section on the line 55, Fig. l, to a verylarge scale toindicate the scoring.

Fig. 6 shows a portion of a panel display surface having horizontal andvertical perforations therethrough arranged so that they defineimaginary squares of unit area to receive co-ordinating luggedindicators such as, shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 7 shows another example of an indicator removed from the sheet orstrip having a plurality of such potential indicators.

Fig. 8 shows another example of an indicator removed from its main stripor sheet, inthis case designed for oblique mounting on the slot-tedpanel.

Fig. 9 shows a circular, Fig; 10 a diamond-shaped, and Fig. 11 atriangular indicator with suitably disposed lugs and in each case theindicator is one removed from a sheet or strip having a pluralityofpotential indicators in accordance with the invention.

In reference to Figs. 1', 3 and 5 7 is a strip of thick paper, lightcard or similar sheet material of desired width and" length, having aplurality of potential indicators in. its substance and defined by areasbounded byscorings. As will be seen, such anarea comprises in each casea rectangle. 8' having an integral upper central lug 9 and two lowerlugs 10 of greater length than the lug 9 on the lower edge andsymmetrically arranged.

As hereafter will be explained, the size of the rectangle 8' and thedispositions of the lugs 9 and 10, have dimensional relationship withthe slotted board, panel or the like on which the indicator, whendetached from the strip, can be mounted.

Lt will be appreciated that the strip 7 as shown in Fig. 1 can bewritten upon as a strip or can be passed through a printing machine inits strip form so that the various potential indicators receive:markings, or can be placed in an ordinary typewriter so that the surfaceof the up permost rectangle 8' can be typed upon and the surfaces of theother similar rectangles also can have typed indications made thereon.Thereafter, by finger or like pressure the potential indicator can bebroken along the lines of the scoring and removed ready for mounting onthe panel or the like. Such a typed-upon and removed in dicator is:shown in Fig. 3 and similarly Fig. 4 shows one such removed from thestrip shown in Fig. 2.

If desired the indication typed upon the potential indicator can also betyped upon the portion of the main stripv remaining and may also.begiven a serial number so that it can be identified with the removedindicator. Further, if desired between the similar potential indicatorsthe strip or sheet can be perforated with lines of perforations. Onev ofthese, 18, is shown in Fig. l but of course similar lines ofperforations can be between succeeding potential indicators. This willenable each framework of a potential indicator to have a record madethereon of the indication made upon the potential indicator togetherwith an identifying number or the like so that the. said frameworks,when the indicators have been removed; therefrom, can be divided at thelines of the. perforations and, stored for record purposes.

Generally to illustrate the weakening or scoring of the strip 7, thesection on the line 55Fig; 1 shown in: Fig. 5 is drawn to an extremelyenlarged scale. From this figure it will be seen how the main body ofthe strip 7 is almost completely cut through by the scoring 11 which,however, leaves a hump-like unsevered but weak portion 12 on the rear sothat although the weak connecting portions 12 following the outline ofthe lugged area are adequate to hold the parts in place for the typingoperation, yet when taken from the typewriter they permit the potentialindicator readily to be removed by finger pressure to form the indicatorproper such as shown in Fig. 3 or 4.

Potential indicators such as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and indicators suchas shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are suitable for mounting upon panels or thelike in accordance with my prior patents and particularly British PatentNo. 465,800, in which there is provided a panel 13 or the like (aportion only of which is shown in Fig. 6) which has vertical slots 14and horizontal slots 15 so relatively arranged that they defineimaginary squares of unit area.

The indicators shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in one dimension are suitable tocover three unit areas and in the other dimension two unit areas so thatthe indicator itself covers six unit areas and from what may be regardedas the upper edge 16 the integral lug 9 projects and from what may beregarded as the lower edge 17 the integral lugs project, these latterbeing longer than the lug 9. In any case, and as will be seen from Fig.6, whilst the lug 9 readily can be engaged in one of the horizontalslots 15, the lugs 10 similarly are engaged in two horizontal slots sothat the information displayed on the surface of the indicator can belocated in the required position on the panel or the like 13.

Figs. 7 to 11 show five further examples of indicators produced by themethod according to the invention. That is to say, in each case theindicator was one of a number of potential indicators carried by astrip, sheet or the like with a weakened bounding edge. All the exampleshave lug spacings at unit distances suitable for being mounted upon aslotted panel or the like as shown in Fig. 6.

In Fig. 7 the vertical dimension is unity and the horizontal dimension amultiple of unity, to form a strip 19. This has two lugs 20 on the upperedge and four lugs 21 on the lower edge. The figure also illustrates theresult of a method of forming the weakened boundary of the potentialindicator. The scoring in this case can be practically complete, that isto say, through the material of the strip or card but to leave unscoredor uncut portions at the central part of the extremities of the lugs 20and 21. Thus, when the indicator is pushed out from the card the uncutand unscored portions are broken, leaving pips such as 22 as illustratedin the figure.

The indicator shown in Fig. 8 is an example of one to have an obliqueposition on the slotted panel or the like, and a plurality of potentialindicators of this shape are carried by the main strip or sheet to bemarked upon and then removed for mounting on the panel or the like. Whenremoved it comprises a strip 23 which is oblique or slopes when mountedin position, the upper edge having a lug 24 and the lower edge a lug 25,the vertical and horizontal spacings of the lug positions being inaccordance with the spacings of the slots in the panel or board.

Fig. 9 shows a circular indicator 26 with lugs 27 spaced at 90 apartaround the circumference, two for engaging vertical slots and two forengaging horizontal slots.

Fig. 10 shows a diamond-shaped indicator 28 having two lugs 29 atopposite angular points and Fig. 11 shows a triangular indicator 30 withtwo lugs 31 on its lower edge and a lug 32 at its apex.

In all cases it will be understood that the shaped indicators, whetherin accordance with the shapes illustrated or other shapes, for examplehexagonal, elliptical, starshape, or square shape of unit area,originally are potential indicators and one of a plurality on a strip orcard bounded by a weakened outline including the lugs ready for removalwhen desired.

The lug arrangement may be varied as required and accordingto the shapeand area of the indicators to be made. For example, for a rectangularindicator there may be only one lug on each of two parallel edges, or alug on each of the four edges, or more than one lug on some of theedges. Still further in the case of rectangular or square indicators,the lugs may so relatively project from an edge or edges thereof thatwhen in position the edges of the rectangle do not come horizontal andvertical but at an angle inclined to the horizontal or vertical.

Again, where the indicators are of circular, oval or other shape, thelugs will be so disposed that at least they come on what may be regardedas opposite edges or opposite edge portions. In any case, however, itwill be realised that a factor concerning the lug disposition obviouslywill be the arrangement and spacing of the slots or the like on theboard or panel by which the indicators are to be carried.

Although in the particular illustrations shown in the drawings thepotential indicators have been shaped and dimensioned for co-operationwith a board or panel having horizontal and vertical slots definingimaginary squares, it will be understood that this is by no means alimitation of the invention. The lugs and their relative dispostion maybe such that they can engage with panels, boards and the like havingperforations of other character. Still further, it must also beunderstood that in place of mount ing the indicators when removed fromthe main strip or strips upon stiff panels or boards, they may bemounted on flexible sheets of suitable material provided said sheetshave the necessary arrangement of slots or perforations therethrough.

Again, regarding shapes of potential indicators, these if desired can beaccording to any known colour convention whereby a certain shapeindicates one colour whilst another shape indicates a different colour,and so on. Further, the surfaces of the potential indicators themselvesmay be of different colours or of varied colours so that when removedfrom their main strip or sheet and mounted upon the slotted board, panelor the like these colours fit in and form part of any desired indicatingsystem.

In both Figs. 1 and 2 what may be regarded in each case as one row ofpotential indicators has been shown on the strip. However, of course itwill be understood that in place of a somewhat narrow strip there can beemployed a sheet and on the said sheet there can be a plurality of rowsof potential indicators.

Although it is preferable that the weakening of the sheet material todefine the areas of the potential indicators is by a scoring action orby scoring interrupted at small points by unscored portions, yet thismay be replaced by lines of perforations or by slotted portions andsolid portions, or any desired combination thereof.

As has been pointed out herein, the dimensioning of the variousindicators disclosed as well as the orientation of the integral lugsthereon must be related to the spacing of the slots or to the openingsin the indicating panels. Hence each lug on any indicating member mustbe spaced, in a direction which when the member is mounted on a panel isparallel to one of the rows of openings therein, from each other lug onthe indicating member a distance equal to one or more times the distanceof the spacing of adjacent openings in a row. Hence the spacing distancemust be an integral multiple of the distance between adjacent openingsin the indicating panel. Where the term integral multiple is employedherein, it is intended to include the multiple 1.

The invention is not limited to the precise forms or details herein setforth, as these may be varied to suit particular requirements.

What I claim is:

1. For use in combination with an indicating supporting panel havinguniformly arranged and uniformly spaced parallel rows of openingstherein, a substantially rectangular indicating member having at leastthree integral lugs extending from the edges thereof, a pair of saidlugs extending from one edge of said indicating member and the other lugextending from the opposite edge, said other lug being spaced from eachof said pair of lugs a distance, in a direction parallel to said one andopposite edges, equal at least to an integral multiple of the distancebetween adjacent openings in a row of openings in the indicating panel,and said one and opposite edges of said indicating member being spacedone from the other a distance equal to an integral multiple of thedistance between adjacent parallel rows of openings, whereby a pair ofsaid indicating members may be mounted on said indicating panel with theedges thereof free from integral lugs being in line and the adjacentedges thereof substantially in contact and the lugs on the adjacentedges of said members extending into separate openings in a single rowof openings in the indicating panel.

2. In combination with an indicating supporting panel having uniformlyarranged and uniformly spaced parallel rows of openings therein, aplurality of substantially rectangular indicating members each having atleast three integral lugs extending from the edges thereof, a pair ofthe lugs of each member extending from one edge thereof and the otherlug extending from the opposite edge thereof, the lugs of each pair oflugs of each indicating member being spaced apart along the edge of saidmember from which they extend a distance, in a direction parallel tosaid one and opposite edges thereof, equal at least to an even integralmultiple of the distance be tween adjacent openings in a row of openingsin the indicating panel and said other iug on said opposite edge of eachsaid indicating member being spaced in a direc tion parallel to said oneand opposite edges thereof equal distances from the iugs of said pair,and said one and o/p posite edges of each of said indicating membersbeing spaced one from the other a distance equal to an integral multipleof the distance between adjacent parallel rows of openings in saidindicating panel, whereby said indicating members may be mounted on saidindicating panel with adjacent edges substantially in contact, said onelug of one indicating member thusly positioned with respect to a secondindicating member extending into an opening in the indicating panel inthe same row of openings and between the openings into which the pair oflugs o f said second indicating member extend.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,111,780 Horton Mar. 22, 1938 2,188,310 Price Ian. 30, 1940 2,213,666Burke Sept. 3, 1940

